i
3
4
|
f:
15
mS
i
tc
ee
4
3
Do not circulate
*
f
Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy
AT HARVARD COLLEGE
Vou. LIV. No. 5
wh BRAK
ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS
BY
T. Barsour anp A. F. Carr, JR.
WITH NINE PLATES
CAMBRIDGE, U.S. A.
Printed for the Museum
1940
UR,
ae)
Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy
AT HARVARD COLLEGE
Vou. LIV. No. 5
ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS
BY
T. Barspour AND A. F. Carr, JR.
WITH NINE PLATES
CAMBRIDGE, U.S. A.
Printed for the Museum
1940
c
Ae
ETE 1)
FOC OSM OO)
« CH Wires a Cth 6 Nutk
ay ity
APR 1 1940
LIBR AR A
.
um of Comp,
2 «= Zoalagy
+ ¢
APR 1 1940 —
LIBRAR*
ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS’
INTRODUCTION
It would be foolish to say that the last word concerning the systematic
CON
6783
status of the various West Indian terrapins is said in this paper. There is no
strong possibility that this is the case. The picture we present is by no means
completely satisfactory. We admit the inherent improbability of a new form
being found in the Rio Jobabo and the common widespread form being found in
the Rio Cauto in Cuba, but this seems to be the case, and no explanation can be
offered but that one small population has suddenly, as it were, differentiated to
where the degree of differentiation is almost specific. The possibility of hybridi-
zation between populations of terrapins is by no means to be cavalierly passed
aside, but this whole matter is very little understood and extremely difficult to
demonstrate. We lack material from too many areas to do more than sketch an
outline. We believe, however, that inasmuch as we have been able to see more
material than has ever been gathered together before, our conclusions are not
improbably essentially correct so far as they go.
For many years the senior author has been collecting specimens and having
them illustrated, until a considerable number were accumulated. Administrative
duties and the fact that he could by no stretch of the imagination pose as a
specialist with regard to studying Pseudemys led him to ask the Junior author,
who was so qualified, to be kind enough to associate himself with this study. He
consented so to do and has made three long visits to Cambridge in this connection.
The senior author has, however, had enough of a “finger in the pie” so that he can
in no wise dodge responsibility for the conclusions which have been reached.
The line drawings illustrating this paper, as well as some of the colored
figures, were done by Mr. Eugene N. Fischer who is well known for the painstak-
ing care with which he has illustrated many publications of this Museum. Other
colored illustrations are by the competent hand of Miss Jessie Sawyer.
It is quite impossible to thank all of the host of friends who have helped us
with material or information. First and foremost Doctor Leonhard Stejneger
gave us photographs of Shaw’s type of Testudo rugosa no. 990 in the collection of
the Royal College of Surgeons in London, while Mr. H. W. Parker provided
similar photographs of the type of Gray’s Emys decussata in the British Museum.
Doctor Wilson Popenoe, of the United Fruit Company, helped us to secure
1 Printed with the aid of a special gift from Mr. George R. Agassiz.
382 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
material from Jamaica. The Honorable Norman Armour, formerly American
Minister at Port-au-Prince, and Mr. F. H. Baker, formerly of the United States
Department of Agriculture, helped us to secure specimens in Haiti. In Cuba
Mr. Charles H. Thrall, formerly Executive Officer of the Cuban Sugar Club, Mr.
R. M. Grey of Soledad, Mr. Norcott 8. Henriquez, Comprador for several sugar
companies in Havana and Agent there for Harvard University, Dr. C. G.
Aguayo and Mr. Gaston §. Villalba all secured terrapins for us, collecting them-
selves or from friends in various parts of the Island. Messrs. Wilton G. Albury
and J. V. Malone aided several officers of the Museum, collecting in the Bahamas,
in procuring specimens both on Cat Island and Great Inagua. To all these, and
others besides, our cordial thanks are given.
Our material from the Dominican Republic is obviously inadequate and we
thank the authorities of the Field Museum of Chicago for loaning us three speci-
mens from Sanchez. One of these is made the type of a new form. The United
States National Museum and the Museum of Zoology at the University of
Michigan at Ann Arbor have also kindly loaned us specimens from time to time
and their so doing is appreciated.
The West Indian terrapins of the genus Pseudemys comprise a section of the
wide-ranging scripta group, being most closely allied to the Central American
Pseudemys scripta ornata. This close relationship was recognized by Boulenger
(1889), who combined the West Indian forms under the name rugosa and listed
them as a “variety” of Chrysemys scripta. In a recent paper the junior author
has pointed out that the scripta group is distributed, through a series of inter-
grading forms, from North Carolina into South America. Although each island
in the Greater Antilles (and each of two of the Bahamas) has one or more recog-
nizable forms, the differences between these stocks are not great; likewise the
characters differentiating the island forms from Honduranian ornata, which
appears to be the annectant continental stock, are relatively slight. Indeed, in
most of the distinguishing features there may be found complete overlapping,
and were it not for a few minor characters which appear not to intergrade, it
would seem necessary to reduce the insular forms to subspecific standing.
The characters common to insular and continental stocks are as follows:
Skull. The jaws are smooth—not cusped, and without marked serrations,
and the cutting edges of the maxillae meet at the symphisis at a vertical angle,
where an auxiliary notch of varying depth is often present. The alveolar surfaces
of the upper jaw are relatively smooth, and their median ridges low and but
slightly denticulate.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 383
Markings. The most conspicuous head stripes are the supratemporal and
the orbito-mandibular; the lines on the top of the head are reduced or lacking.
The completely developed plastral pattern is the most extensive in the genus.
The markings on the bridge and marginals are identical.
Melanism. Found in old males throughout the scripta group.
P. s. ornata appears to be more or less intermediate between the two sub-
groups of West Indian terrapins defined later in the text. These two groups,
distinguished from one another by somewhat subtle but apparently consistent
differences, combine the Cuban, Jamaican, and Cat Island forms on the one hand,
and those on Porto Rico, Hispaniola, and Great Inagua on the other. All things
considered, the Cuban decussata is perhaps the form which approaches ornata
most closely, but it differs in the absence or great reduction of markings on the
carapace and in the obsolescence of stripes on head and legs.
In general, the distribution of this group of turtles on the islands of the
West Indies and the relationships with continental forms which they show, present
a picture entirely compatible with what is known of the paleogeography of the
Antillean region and with zoogeographic generalities which the herpetological
fauna as a whole indicates. The group presents certain minor anomalies of dis-
tribution, such as the puzzlingly close apparent relationship between the Ja-
maican and Cat Island forms, a relationship which appears to be much more
intimate than that between P. d. decussata and the strikingly differentiated but
intergrading form, P. d. plana, but such disparity in reaction to the effects of
barriers and time of separation may quite properly be interpreted as a peculiarity
inherent in pseudemyd germ plasm, for the North American forms afford ample
basis for such an interpretation.
It seems to us quite logical to assume that the scripta complex originated
in and has radiated from a Mississippi Valley center, perhaps in the lowlands
bordering the Embayment during Tertiary time, and that during the time of its
connection with the Central American land mass, Antillea became populated
with the stock which subsequent submergence has reduced to a series of insular
populations. The history of the Antillean forms may in this way be inferred with
some conviction, but that of the two known Bahamian species (malonez and
felis) must await a more thorough understanding of the relative paleophysiog-
raphy of Antillea and the Bahamian plateau.
384 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
Taxonomic ARRANGEMENT
In the present paper the following forms are recognized: The terrapen sub-
group
P. terrapen (Lacépéde)—Jamaica.
P. felis Barbour—Cat Island, Bahamas.
P. decussata decussata (Gray)—Cuba, except Rio Jobabo and southern Pinar
del Rio: Isle of Pines.
P. decussata plana new subspecies—Rio Jobabo, Oriente Province, Cuba.
P. decussata angusta new subspecies—Caribbean drainage in Pinar del Rio
Province, Cuba.
The stejnegert sub-group
P. stejnegeri stejnegert Schmidt—Porto Rico and (fide Grant 1932) Vieques
Island.
P. stejnegeri vicina new subspecies—Hispaniola.
P. decorata new species—Haiti.
P. maloneit Barbour and Carr—Great Inagua, Bahamas.
In deciding between binominals and trinominals for the several forms the
overlapping or failure to overlap of characters has been our only criterion. Thus,
the trinominal has been used for vicina which is markedly distinct from decorata,
the other Hispaniolan form, but which intergrades apparently connect with
stejnegert, and for angusta and plana, since variations in decussata encroach
slightly on their distinguishing characters.
Of the scripta group, we regard Mississippi Valley troostii as the most
generalized, and as probably closest to the ancestral stock, while typical P. s.
scripta appears to be the most specialized form in the complex. Among the West
Indian terrapins, as is mentioned above, P. d. decussata possesses the most
features in common with P. s. ornata (and also with troostii) and so may be re-
garded as the most primitive of the insular forms. P. malonei, having departed
farthest from what seems to us to be the prototypic condition, is apparently the
most advanced stock.
We regard E. vermiculata Gray as based on the melanistic male of decussata,
E. jamao Vilaré (Duméril, nomen nudum) as the non-melanistic male of decussata,
and EF. gnatho Vilaré (Cope, nomen nudum) as the old female of decussata.
Since Shaw’s description is inadequate and his types not identifiable, the
name rugosa is not used.
The name 7’. palustris Gmelin is apparently a pure synonym of T’.. terrapen
Lacépéde.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 385
TAXONOMIC CHARACTERS IN West INDIAN PsEUDEMYS
The characters employed by the older writers in attempting to give diagnoses
of turtles are, in many instances, obviously trivial and valueless. For want of
clear-cut, tangible features individual and sexual variations have been repeatedly
used and much time and paper has been expended in the listing of generic and
even family characters as specific diagnoses.
The characters which we have found to be of more or less taxonomic sig-
nificance and which have been used extensively in the present paper, are as
follows:
Shell proportions. The many unsuccessful attempts to distinguish forms of
Pseudemys on the basis of shell proportions have been due in large measure to
failure to compare comparable stages and sexes. Such ratios are often of the
greatest help when individuals of one sex and of similar size are compared; they
are, however, almost useless in juvenile specimens.
Stripes on head and limbs. Of great value in other groups in the genus, the
number and nature of stripes on the head and legs are less revealing in West
Indian forms, because of their exasperating tendency to lose all markings with age.
Conformation and modelling of the skull. Although there are no significant
osteological differences in the structure of the skulls of the forms, there are slight
but constant differences in the shape and proportions of the snout and in the
modelling of the surface of the maxilla. It is partly on the basis of such differences
that we have distinguished the terrapen and stejnegert sub-groups. It should be
pointed out that previous writers who have used snout characters have in nearly
every instance been confused by the normal sexual disparity in snout length.
Plastral pattern. In Pseudemys generally, and particularly in the scripta
group, the dusky figure on the plastron, although neglected by most taxonomists,
is undoubtedly of value in determining relationships. The extensive rassenkreis
extending from scripta in the southeastern United States to the neotropical
ornata involves a progressive increase in the complexity of this pattern. Inter-
mediates have demonstrated the nature of the change from the pair of simple
gular smudges of typical scripta to the extensive and complex figure of ornata.
This intricate design, as found in much the same detail in ornata, young speci-
mens of Cuban decussata, and in P. d’orbignyi, which we believe will eventually
prove to be the southernmost extension of the scripta complex, is unique for the
genus, but is closely approached by the plastral pattern of certain forms of
Chrysemys.
386 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
SexvuaL DIMORPHISM—THE ‘‘RUGOSA” PHASE
The taxonomic confusion which for more than a hundred years has sur-
rounded the Antillean terrapins has been due in large part to the marked sexual
dichromatism which the group displays, and to the fact that this dichromatism
does not distinguish the sexes at all ages.
The first author who applied a proper binominal name to one of the group
was Lacépéde (Testudo terrapen, see discussion, page 393), who described the
Jamaican form in 1788. The next year Gmelin (1789), apparently unaware of
Lacepédé’s work, introduced the name 7’. palustris for the same turtle. In 1802
Shaw proposed the name 7’. rugosa for a pair of specimens now in the collection
of the Royal College of Surgeons, London (no. 990). These specimens, photo-
graphs of which have been furnished us through the courtesy of Doctor Stejneger,
are the shells of what undoubtedly are West Indian Pseudemys, although they
are without locality data. One of the shells, apparently that of a mature female,
is unidentifiable; the other, that of a male showing advanced melanism and like-
wise specifically unidentifiable, is evidently the specimen on which Shaw’s figure
was based and which served to establish the name rugosa for melanistic males
of the group no matter on which island they were found by subsequent writers.
Given prestige by the writings of Gray (1831, 1844, 1855, 1870, 1873) who
described decussata without locality and retained the name rugosa for melanistic
males, Duméril and Bibron (1835), Sagra (1843), Gosse (1851), Strauch (1865),
and others and by the plates of Sowerby and Lear (1865), the error has persisted
until the present time, although the actual status of the melanistic individuals
has been suggested numerous times.
Apparently the first writer who expressed any doubt of the distinctness of
the melanistic form was Vilar6 (April and May 1867, p. 119-121) who advanced
the opinion that rugosa and decussata, in Cuba, were probably male and female
of the same species. However, his subsequent remarks, quoted below, hardly
help to clarify the situation: [it should be understood that three vernacular names
have been applied to the Cuban terrapins, jicotea to the females, jarico to the
melanistic males, and jamao apparently to males which show no melanism or as
Gundlach (1880) states, to ‘unos individuos que tienen ufias largas y el color de
ambos sexos igual al de la Jicotea’’] ‘‘Al hacer una especie de las Emys rugosa y
decussata, y otro de la Emys jamao,! descansamos principalmente en un dato
1Tn explanation of his use of this name Vilaré, in November 1867, writes as follows: ‘En la pagina 120
de esta tomo cito el Jamao con el nombre de Emys jamao, secundum Poey, como inscrito de esta manera
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 387
negativo, cual es el no haber hallado hasta ahora un ejemplar feminino con los
colores del Jarico. Si se llega a encontrar, podrdé resultar que las dos Jicoteas,
rugosa y decussata, sean dos buenas especies y que el Jamao venga a ser el macho
de la ultima.’’ A few pages further on in the same publication (p. 104) Gundlach
expresses the opinion that “el macho se llama Jarico, la hembra, Jicotea.”
In October of the same year Vilaré asserts that Duméril now agrees with
him that rugosa and decussata are the same species, and introduces and briefly
describes a fourth form, EH. gnatho (Trachemys gnatho Cope, nomen nudum).
This name was applied to an extraordinary phase occurring in certain females of
decussata and occasionally seen in other forms. This is apparently merely a
manifestation of extreme age, the most striking feature is the enormous and dis-
proportionate growth of the head. The snout becomes greatly shortened, and
augmented by a marked increase in the width of the angle at which the maxillae
meet, the whole region anterior to the eyes is relatively so broadened as hardly
to resemble the head of a turtle. We have specimens of decussata from several
localities exhibiting this freakish condition.
In two publications (1875 and 1880) Gundlach makes further mention of the
several forms but relegates them all to the synonymy of rugosa. Fowler (1918)
discusses melanism in the Porto Rican form, and Danforth (1925) says: ‘‘There
is a popular idea that there are two species, a green one and a black one, but I
have found specimens forming all sorts of intergrades between the two’. Bar-
bour and Ramsden (1919) say that, ‘‘In spite of popular belief, there is but one
species of Jicotea found in Cuba.”
More recently De Sola and Greenhall (1932) have undertaken to settle the
matter once and for all in a paper entitled, ““I'wo Species of Terrapin in Cuba;
The Antillean Terrapin, Pseudemys rugosa, and the Cuban Terrapin, Pseudemys
decussata.’’ In the preface to this paper the reader learns that ‘“‘Some solution
may now be given to the long standing and perplexing problem concerning the
terrapins of Cuba, and the multiplicity of West Indian forms’’, but any optimism
that this remark may engender is soon dispelled by our reading that, “It is in-
teresting that all our material was collected in a restricted locality near Marti,
in the Province of Camaguey, Cuba, for our specimens separate into two distinct
groups (!)...”
en los catdlogos del Sr. Aug. Dumeril. Con mas exactitud puedo decir ahora en vista de una carta reciente
del Sr. Dumeril 4 D. F. Poey, que aquel nombre aparece en una lista de los Reptiles que vivieron en el
Jardin de Plantas de Paris, intercalada en una 2°. noticia publicado por Dumeril en los Archivos del
Museo, t X, en Setiembre de 1861, p. 435, con la inscripcion de num. 27, Emys Jamao, A. Dum., segun
F. Poey, macho y hembra, Habana, 2 individuos.”
388 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
One of these “distinct groups’’, the old male group, is described under the
name P. rugosa. The characters presented as distinguishing it are merely those
of a melanistic male, the specimen selected as typical of the form (American
Museum 44876) is “‘an adult male”’ as are the other specimens which they men-
tion as having examined, and finally, reference is made to Sowerby and Lear’s
plate of rugosa which De Sola and Greenhall reproduce and which is merely the
melanistic phase of some indeterminate species of West Indian Pseudemys, and
is also obviously a male.
P. decussata is summarily dismissed with the remark that its range is ‘only
known as Rio Tana and Rio Jobabo in the Province of Camaguey, Cuba,” and
that ‘‘all the specimens in this group agree with the original description of Gray
that adequately differentiates P. decussata from P. rugosa,” followed by a quota-
tion of these characters which really do nothing but distinguish females and
young males from melanistic individuals. We are then referred to Sowerby and
Lear’s plate of decussata, also reproduced, which probably really does represent
the Cuban form. It is a female.
Next there comes a “‘Key to the Cuban Species of Pseudemys’’ which is quite
a satisfactory key to the sexes of nearly any of the West Indian terrapins, and
finally we read that “‘Some confusion has been caused by a failure on the part of
many to recognize the sex characters present in Pseudemys. For example, several
Cuban naturalists, who believe in the presence of two species on their island,
offered by way of proof a male and a female of the same species... This type
of error is also encountered in our own country, so the following key may
not be amiss.’’ The time-honored tail and toe-nail sex characters are then
presented.
In 1934 Grant and De Sola approach the problem from a slightly different
angle, the argument being that there are two species of Pseudemys, rugosa and
decussata, approximately coextensively distributed throughout the Greater
Antilles. But here again rugosa is nothing more than the old male—so there is
really nothing at all surprising about the two species having coextensive dis-
tribution.
Grant and De Sola point out that De Sola and Greenhall state that ‘the
nails of the fore feet of males of decussata are elongated’’, but that ‘‘their figure
after Sowerby and Lear does not show the nails long enough.”’ It is true that the
nails in the figure are not long enough for a male, but this is no indictment of
the delineator or the lithographer, since the specimen figured is quite obviously
a female.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 389
Grant and De Sola are further impressed by the fact that “the postocular
stripe is red and present in both sexes of P. decussata” but is lacking in rugosa.
This condition is illustrative of the situation which has apparently been the chief
source of confusion to Messrs. De Sola, Grant and Greenhall, and to many
earlier workers as well. Had all their males been melanistic, and all their females
normally colored, they would probably not have been confused at all. But un-
fortunately melanism seems to be a condition which is visited upon the males,
not at the age of puberty or of sexual maturity, or on attaining length, but
at some quite indefinite and variable time during adult life. Thus, one
finds some males colored like the females and others like rugosa (and others in
between), and all about the same size. Moreover, we have seen certain indica-
tions that an occasional male lives to a ripe old age without ever becoming
melanistic.
This phenomenon of melanism in old males is not peculiar to the West
Indian terrapins. It is found to a marked degree in other forms of Pseudemys,
especially in scripta, troostii and elegans and to a lesser extent in mobiliensis,
nelsoni and rubriventris. The evolution of the definitive melanistic pattern ap-
pears to be a similar process in the West Indian forms and in the races of scripta.
The first indications of incipient melanism are rarely found in specimens
under 150 mm. in length. There is some evidence that, once begun, the process
may be relatively rapid. The thin lines along the bridge and those forming the
marginal concentric figures darken and begin to break up. The black borders of
the stripes on the head and the limbs darken and broaden. Flecks of black pig-
ment are deposited along and between the plastral sutures, at first in the form of
a somewhat vague but symmetrical figure, which progressively grows more con-
spicuous, in one phase the entire plastron becoming vermiculate with pigment,
and in another the pigment remaining confined to the region of the sutures.
Deposition of pigment on the carapace begins on the anterior plates and pro-
gresses posteriorly ; in many specimens the anterior half of the carapace is heavily
vermiculate and the posterior portion untouched. As the black flecks anastomose
and come to occupy more area than the ground color, the latter changes from the
original olive or brown to slate blue, horn-color or light yellow, the result being a
black shell speckled with yellow or bluish. Nearly the same process takes place
on the plastron, except in certain individuals in which, as stated above, the black
pigment apparently remains permanently confined to the sutures. Meanwhile,
the black lines bordering the yellow stripes on head and limbs have broadened
and broken up, as have the yellow stripes themselves. With the fragmentation of
390 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
the yellow markings the yellow pigment increases markedly in intensity and
often in amount. Eventually all the original markings are obliterated, and the
legs and head are vermiculate, entirely black, or entirely yellow.
Key to the West Indian Terrapins
1. Snout of adult rounded terminally, not constricted beneath anterior margin of orbit;
maxillae:smoothlyrounded 4 40.6) sh-co cl batea ads a ee ee ee 2
Snout of adult flattened at the tip, nearly straight from nostrils to edge of jaws, some-
what constricted before orbits; anterior surface of maxilla usually more or less concave
beneathvanteriormareinvolorbitqeeen cee eee eee eae eae 6
2(1) Ground color of head and limbs slate gray; carapace either straight-sided and somewhat
wedge-shaped or nearly circular from dorsal aspect..............-.0 00000 e eee eee 3
Ground color of head and limbs light greenish to olive-brown; carapace oval or elongate-
oblong:from/dorsalaspectissjeh ees sale mrs aeeiiecia wosmie cet Uncrate ee eo ele a 4
3(2) Carapace short, the widest point at about middle, high (length/height, av., males 2.57,
females 2.42) and with few, very deep longitudinal rugosities.......... Pseudemys felis
Carapace widest posteriorly (the posterior lateral marginals flaring) straight-sided and
wedge-shaped from dorsal aspect; longitudinal rugosities numerous but relatively
Shia] lowiee settee Wey eye ekiraratche syste Ried alata ane nine ee A ee I Pseudemys terrapen
4(2) Carapace broad, very low (length-height, av., males 3.25, females 3.09) and with the
dorsal line often nearly straight from middle of first to middle of fourth vertebrals in
lateral aspect sea Gixdsta ea mieaeeicsreieee ometgeaete Re ee ae aa Pseudemys decussata plana
Carapace oval or elongate-oblong, not strikingly low, dorsal line strongly arched from
lateraliaspectits a. caccccu ta cencien be rgiys wr reer rea, eran ech eC ane mtu ey Svar eR Oe ad 5
5(4) Ground color of soft parts light greenish to olive; carapace usually oval in dorsal aspect
(if oblong, then not narrow), its ground color greenish or chestnut; stripes on head and
limbs obsolescent; melanistic male usually evenly vermiculate......................
Pseudemys decussata decussata
Ground color of soft parts very dark brownish olive; stripes usually distinct; carapace
narrow, straight-sided or constricted from dorsal aspect, elongate and high, its ground
color very dark brown; large areas on shell and soft parts often solid black in melanistic
TUDE OS pee asain e cleat ce eet ae ad Meee Ne A ae eS rk Pseudemys decussata angusta
6(1) Plastral pattern composed of from several to numerous small circular or concentric
markings; dorsal pattern evident, at least in part,................ Pseudemys decorata
Plastral pattern a single, more or less unified figure, often obsolescent between the
bridges:idorsaljmarkingsimotievid enter rear oe ee oer 7
7(6) Shell short, broadly elliptical from dorsal aspect, the widest point at or very near the
middle; vertebral line elevated by a smooth, continuous keel, highly arched from lateral
aspect, especially in females (average length/height ratio in females 2.35)............
Pseudemys malonet
Shell rather elongate, its widest point usually behind middle, posterior marginals flaring;
vertebrals mostly flattened, not highly arched from lateral aspect (average length/height
Patiovin females? 2-HON is cece acne singe astetens Hera ie ea mae aI cer le ee ce 8
8(7) Anterior elements of plastral figure not following the sutures, often occupying much of
the anterior portions of the gulars, and tending to reach antero-median margins of
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 391
gulars and to continue dorsally onto the upper surface of the gulars; head of female not
noticeably broadened (width of head at anterior margins of tympana contained in
length of carapace 7.8-8.0 times), rather shallow (depth of snout, including mandible,
at anterior margins of orbits contained in length of carapace 12.0-14.4 times)........
Pseudemys stejnegeri stejnegert
Plastral pattern essentially following the sutures anteriorly—usually with no part of it
extending to antero-median margins of gulars; head of female very broad (breadth at
anterior edges of tympana contained in length of carapace 7.0-7.2 times), snout short
and very deep (depth, including mandible, at anterior margins of orbits contained in
length of carapace) 12:0-14.4 times)...........----..----- Pseudemys stejnegeri vicina
THE TERRAPEN SUB-GROUP
Characters. Snout blunt, rounded, slightly depressed; its anterior surface
broad and smoothly curving, the curve nearly continuous with the arch of the
lateral surface of the maxillae. Snout not noticeably constricted beneath anterior
margin of orbit. Plastron somewhat truncate anteriorly, gulars not projecting
much beyond anterior corners of humerals, and not constricted and upturned
laterally. Plastral pattern, if evident, following sutures anteriorly and usually
not reaching anterior margin of gulars.
PSEUDEMYS TERRAPEN (Lacépéde)
Testudo terrapen Lacépéde, 1788, Hist. Nat. Quadr. Ovip. Serp., I, Syn. Meth., p. 444.
—Bonnaterre 1789, Tab. Encycl. Erpét., p. 30. (not 7. terrapen Schoepff, 1792).
Testudo palustris Gmelin, 1789, Syst. Nat., I, ii, p. 1041—Trachemys palustris Baur, 1893,
Amer. Nat., X XVII, p. 276.
Testudo rugosa Shaw, 1802, Gen. Zool., III, i, p. 28, pl. 1V.1—Emys rugosa Gosse, 1851, Nat.
Soj. Jamaica, p. 189.
Emys decussata Gosse, 1851, Nat. Soj. Jamaica, p. 187.
Chrysemys scripta var. rugosa Boulenger, 1889 (part), Cat. Chel. Brit. Mus., p. 79.
Pseudemys palustris Barbour, 1910, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., LII, p. 301.
Type. Not designated.
Type locality. Jamaica.
Distribution. Jamaica.
Diagnosis. Carapace relatively short, straight-sided, and somewhat wedge-
shaped from dorsal aspect, widest and flaring posteriorly; all markings greatly
reduced, barely or not discernible on sides and top of head in mature specimens;
supra-temporal stripe, when present, white in preserved specimens; ground color
of head and limbs slate gray. Most closely approached by P. felis, the Cat
Island form, from which it may be distinguished by the proportions and sculp-
1 Although 7’. rugosa Shaw is unidentifiable, we believe that the above is the most satisfactory disposal
that can be made of the name.
392 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
turing of the carapace (carapace short, high, more nearly circular and with ex-
tensive keel and few, deep longitudinal rugosities in felis).
Description. Body proportions: Length/width, males 1.25-1.33, av. 1.29,
females 1.20-1.29, av. 1.25; length/height, males 2.56-2.66, av. 2.61, females
2.42-2.62, av. 2.51; width/height, males 1.92-2.13, av. 2.02, females 1.89-2.09,
av. 1.99. Average length, males 163 mm., females 182 mm. Carapace: Short,
rather low and broad, the widest point lying in the flaring posterior third; costals
with numerous longitudinal wrinkles, especially in the adult female; radial
wrinkles, often conspicuous on the costals of young specimens, are obliterated
with age; first vertebral somewhat domed, first and last nearly smooth, the others
flattened and with a narrow keel. Ground color grayish brown to dark gray,
markings, including marginal blotches, often.entirely obsolete. Plastron: Not
noticeably constricted at anterior ends of humerogular sutures; ground color
cream or grayish white; dusky pattern nearly or completely lacking in our speci-
mens, although the arrangement of the rudiments present in one or two speci-
mens suggests a close affinity with Cuban decussata in this respect; lower margi-
nal blotches and markings on bridge indistinct or lacking; projecting upper sur-
face of gulars not marked. Head: Snout short, not pointed in either sex; upper
jaw with a slight, rounded terminal notch and with a low ridge on the alveolar
surface. Stripes obsolescent or lacking; supratemporal white in preserved speci-
mens when discernible; orbital and mandibular confluent beneath the tympanum
when discernible; no accessory stripes between supratemporal and orbital.
Throat light, the stripes faded. Stripes on anterior surface of front foot faded
and ill-defined; upper surface of hind foot dark gray or black—not striped;
terminal third of tail dark above.
Although our series does not include a male showing advanced melanism the
occurrence of the phenomenon among the Jamaican terrapins is indicated by the
following statement from Gosse (1851); ‘‘Along with the above described (Emys
decussata), frequenting the same situations, having the same habits, and nearly
equally common, another species is taken, E. rugosa, distinguished by having the
pale yellow plates of the sternum each edged with a broad border of dark brown.
Cuba possesses both species in common with Jamaica.’’ Moreover, Doctor
Stejneger writes, ‘I find that we have both the rugosa and the decussata styles
in Jamaica as well as in Cuba.”
Habits. Gosse (l.c.) describes the habitat as follows: ““Between Shrewsbury
and Content is a pond of about one acre in extent, choked up with Potamogeton
and covered with duckweed... A giant Cottontree rises from the margin, and
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 393
the long branches of a vigorous bastard-cedar reach almost quite across it. A
luxuriant gourd called the Duppy’s melon has entwined in the limbs of the cedar,
and sends down a hundred vines which dip their tangled mazes into the water. . .
on the logs and branches that from time to time have fallen from the overhanging
trees, and now project here and there from the green surface, the turtles may be
seen sitting to enjoy the sunshine in the heat of the day.” The same author de-
scribes catching the turtles in a rat-trap on the end of a pole baited with meat,
preferably ‘‘a small bird with the feathers singed.”
Localities. Jamaica: Rio Cobre, ‘12 miles from Kingston”, Mus. Comp.
Zool. 29700-4; Port Antonio, Mus. Comp. Zool. 7377, 26786.
A careful comparison of the early works in which the Jamaican terrapin is
mentioned has made it evident that the name palustris, used by Stejneger (1904),
Schmidt (1928) and others, is a synonym of Testudo terrapen Lacépéde. These
writers have no doubt followed Baur (1893) who, in discussing the name of the
diamondback terrapin (Malaclemmys), says: “The name M. terrapen Schoepff,
1793, cannot be used [i. e. for the diamondback]. The same name (Testudo
terrapen) was given by Bonnaterre (1789) to the Trachemys rugosa Shaw, 1802,
of Jamaica. Already in the year 1788, however, Gmelin introduced the name
Testudo palustris for the Jamaica tortoise; I therefore use the name T’rachemys
palustris Gmelin for the Jamaica tortoise. . .”” Information available today, but
apparently not in Baur’s time, indicates that the several parts of Gmelin’s edition
of the Systema Naturae (the animal kingdom) did not all appear in 1788, but
over a period of five years, from 1788 to 1792. According to Hopkinson (1907),
part three, in which the name 7’. palustris is to be found, was published Novem-
ber 20, 1789.
In Lacépéde’s Synopsis Methodica (in vol. 2 of his Histoire Naturelle, etc.,
p. 444) in a table with one column headed “‘species’”’ and the other “‘charactéres’’,
following 7’. orbicularis and preceding 7’. serpentina, we find the name “‘Terrapen”’
without the generic abbreviation. Although this arrangement gives the impres-
sion of a departure from the binominal system the fact that the name occurs
under an initial heading, ‘“‘Testudo”’, makes it evident that the omission of the
“T”’? was inadvertent; moreover had Lacépéde intended to use a vernacular
name, it would have been ‘“Terrapéne.’”’ The characters given, ‘“Testa superiore
planiuscul4 & ovata’’ would be insufficient to establish the name with no locality
stated but in Volume 1, page 161-168, under the heading ‘‘La Terrapéne” we
are told that ‘On la trouve aux Antilles & particuliérement 4 la Jamaique .. .
trés commune dans les lacs. . .”’
394 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
Bonnaterre (1789) refers to Lacépéde, but gives the name of the Jamaican
terrapin as 7’. “‘terrapéne’’.
The earliest reference to the Jamaican species, and that constituting the
basis for both Lacépéde’s and Gmelin’s descriptions, is made by Browne (1756),
who gives the habitat of the creature and says, “It is often served up at gentle-
men’s tables in that island and looked upon as delicate wholesome food by many
people.”
PsEUDEMYS FELIS Barbour
Pseudemys felis Barbour, 1935, Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., VIII, p. 205.
Type. Museum of Comparative Zoology 38385, mature female.
Paratypes. Museum of Comparative Zoology 38386-8.
Type locality. Tea Bay, Cat Island, B. W. I.
Distribution. -Known only from the type locality.
Diagnosis. Most closely allied to the Jamaican P. terrapen, from which it
is distinguished by the relatively shorter, higher and more nearly circular cara-
pace, by the more pronounced keel, continuous on all the vertebrals, and by the
relatively few, very deep rugosities on the costals in adult females. Differs from
decussata in the shape of the carapace and in the gray color of limbs and head.
Carapace. Very short, broad and high, smoothly rounded, costals arched;
a smooth, broad keel usually extending the length of the carapace; first vertebral
strikingly embossed; costals deeply and coarsely rugose longitudinally; ground
color grayish-tan to brown; no markings evident in adults.
Plastron. All markings, including lower marginal and bridge figures, lack-
ing or very feebly expressed. Individuals of both sexés usually exhibit broad,
irregular deposits of dark pigment along the posterior sutures; in other forms this
is a feature of only the old male.
Head and limbs. Ground color of head gray in preserved specimens; stripes
faint or lacking; supratemporal, when evident, not pigmented; orbital and man-
dibular confluent or separate; no stripes evident between orbital and supratem-
poral. Snout relatively short and terminally rounded; upper jaw not, or but
slightly, notched mesially. Ground color of legs gray, markings obsolescent.
Melanism. Two males in our series are markedly melanistic, two others
partially so. The manner of deposition of black pigment is essentially similar to
that in decussata.
Habits. The following is an excerpt from an article by Dr. L. A. Hodsdon
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 395
which appeared in the Nassau Guardian, May 19, 1934 (as quoted by Barbour
and Shreve, 1935):
“They [the pond turtles] live in a small area at Tea Bay, Cat Island, in
fresh water rain puddles and miniature ponds which dry up in the dry season,
during which time they hibernate in mud at the bottom of the puddles and pot
holes where they work into the mud which extends under the rock at the shelving
edges of the pools.
“T think this fact of adaptation to so unfavorable a condition is indicative of
Jong residence of this race of turtles and such isolation of a species under unusual
conditions tends strongly towards evolution [sic!]. Another point is that of diet.
These turtles are practically fruit eaters. Their favorite fruit is custard apples,
a fruit that grows on trees about the ponds and they are about the only fruit
obtainable there. Of custard apples the turtles are very fond, and the natives
catch them in the day time on hooks baited with bits of custard apple.”
Specimens examined. Tea Bay, Cat Island, Bahamas, Mus. Comp. Zool.
38385-6, 38995-005, 39003a.
This form represents the extreme in the tendency of the terrapen sub-group
to lose markings on head, limbs and shell.
As was pointed out by Barbour and Shreve (1935), the Bahamian fauna is
extensively derived from Cuba. There is no marked general similarity between
it and the faunas of any of the other Greater Antillean islands. Thus, it is sur-
prising to note that, although there is close structural similarity, probably in-
dicating a not-too-remote genetic identity, among the Cat Island, Jamaican and
Cuban terrapins, the relationship between felis and terrapen is APPARENTLY
much closer than that between either of these and decussata. Moreover, felis
shows little in common, relatively speaking, with malonez, the other Bahamian
form. Such anomalies in apparent affinity at once suggest the possibility of
accidental dispersal or of introduction by man. While neither of these explana-
tions can be discounted completely, there are numerous objections to both. The
fortuitous traversal, by a qualified colonizer, of the more than four hundred miles
of island-bestrewn waters separating Jamaica and Cat Island may have somehow
been effected, but this seems very unlikely. Although concepts of the lengths of
time involved in the evolution of even the lowest catagories of animals are for the
most part highly subjective, it is difficult to refrain from forming them on occa-
sion. Thus we state the opinion that, although the specific characters of felis are
slight, they are definite and constant, and it does not appear satisfactory to regard
them as the result of recent isolation by the hand of the white man. The extent
396 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
and effects of pre-Columbian traffic among the Indians are largely a matter of
conjecture, but the occurrence of such traffic, and the gastronomic interest of
Indians, ancient and modern, in terrapins, are well known, and may possibly
explain the presence of these creatures in unexpected places—and also their
absence in regions where they may once have lived. However, in view of the
scarcity of reliable information concerning local vicissitudes of, and relationships
between, the Antillean and Bahamian regions during Cenozoic time, we do not
feel that human agency must necessarily be appealed to in accounting for minor
peculiarities in distribution.
PSEUDEMYS DECUSSATA DECUSSATA (Gray)
Emys decussata Gray, 1831, Synops. Rept., p. 28; 1855, Cat. Shield Rept. Brit. Mus.,
p. 30.—Griffith, 1831, Cuvier’s Animal Kingd., pl. opp. p. 76.—Bell, 1835, Monogr.
Testud. Pts. 4-5, pl. 6.—Cocteau, 1838, in Sagra’s Hist. Fis. Pol. Nat. Cuba, IV,
Rept., p. 14; Atlas, Rept., pl. 1.—Duméril, 1851 (part), Cat. Méth. Rept. Mus.
Paris, I, p. 11— Ptychemys decussata Agassiz, 1857, Contr. Nat. Hist. U. S. Amer., I,
p. 434.—Clemmys decussata Gundlach, 1881, Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., X, p. 307.
—Pseudemys decussata Gray, 1870, Suppl. Cat. Shield Rept. Brit. Mus., p. 47.—
De Sola and Greenhall, 1932, Copeia, no. 3, p. 132—Grant and De Sola, 1934 (part),
Copeia, no. 2, p. 75.
Emys rugosa Cocteau, 1838, in Sagra’s Hist. Fis. Po. Nat. Cuba, IV, Rept., p. 17; Atlas,
1838, Rept., pl. 11.—Gundlach, April 1867, in Poey’s Repert. Fisico-Nat. Cuba, II,
5, p. 104; 1880, Contrib. Erp. Cubana, p. 9; 1881, Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., IV,
p. 349.—Vilaré, April 1867, in Poey’s Repert, Fisico-Nat. Cuba, II, 5, p. 120.—
Garman, 1887 (part) Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., XXIV, p. 286.—Barbier, 1905, Bull.
Soe. Etude Sci. Nat., XXIII, p. 91, pl. 3. Trachemys rugosa Agassiz, 1857, Contr.
Nat. Hist. U. S. Amer., I, p. 486.—Gray, 1870, Suppl. Cat. Shield, Rept. Brit.
Mus., p. 48.—Pseudemys rugosa De Sola and Greenhall, 1932 (part) Copeia, no. 2,
p. 129.
Emys vermiculata Gray 1844, Cat. Tort. Brit. Mus., p. 25; 1855, Cat. Shield. Rept.
Brit. Mus., pl. 138.
Emys jamao Duméril, 1861, Arch. Mus. d’Hist. Nat. Paris, X, pp. 435-445 (nomen
nudum).— Vilaré, May 1867, in Poey’s Repert, Fisico-Nat. Cuba, II, 6, p. 121; ibid.
Noy. 1867, 10, p. 228.
Emys gnatho Vilaré, Oct. 1867, in Poey’s Repert, Fisico-Nat., II, 9, p. 204.
Pseudemys palustris Barbour and Ramsden, 1919, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., XLVII, 2,
p. 200.
Type. In British Museum.
Type locality. ‘America boreali.”
Distribution. Cuba, except southern Pinar del Rio and Rio Jobabo; Isle of
Pines.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 397
Diagnosis. Distinguished from felis and terrapen by the consistently
greenish color of soft parts and by the oval or elongate-oblong lateral outline
of the carapace.
Description. Carapace: Rather broad and moderately domed; from dorsal
aspect either short and oval, with widest point near middle of long axis (western
phase), or elongate and oblong, with widest point well behind middle (eastern
phase). Costals longitudinally rugose and usually with other wrinkles radiating
Fig. 1. Carapace of Pseudemys d. decussata, ad. 9, M.C.Z. no. 34165. 1% nat. size.
from the median-dorsal region of each plate; in some specimens the radial fur-
rows are as deep and clearly defined as the longitudinal ones. First vertebral but
slightly domed; a keel present posteriorly, but usually not extending onto second
vertebral; marginals usually longitudinally rugose. Ground color olive brown or
greenish to medium brown; usually lacking definite markings except in young in-
dividuals, where rudiments of the typical scripta pattern are sometimes evident.
Plastron: Anterior ends of gulars not markedly extended or laterally constricted.
Plastral pattern of the ornata type, tending to follow the sutures anteriorly (not
398 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
running off anterior-median edges of gulars) and to cover most of the area be-
tween bridges with dusky, broad-lined, longitudinal markings; intermarginal
sutures bisecting concentric figures; bridge with longitudinal dark bands or
irregular concentric markings. Full expression of the ventral pattern is usually
to be found only in young specimens. Head: Upper jaw with or without a notch
at symphisis; snout blunt, rounded, usually depressed. Ground color greenish to
olive-brown; stripes often obsolescent, the supratemporal broad, light (in pre-
served specimens), and usually very faint, orbital and mandibular joined or
separate. Limbs: Ground color that of the head, with white or yellowish stripes,
two of which are usually discernible on outer surface of toes 2 and 4; other faint
lines rarely present on outer surface of forelimb; outer surface of hind foot olive,
not striped.
The Cuban terrapins in no way detract from the notoriety of the Genus
Pseudemys as an extremely difficult group. In a recent paper (1938) the junior
author has mentioned some of the problems presented by the floridana group in
the United States. The points mentioned there—the extensive local and indi-
vidual variation, often involving characters more conspicuous than those dis-
tinguishing the geographic races, the simultaneous occurrence of concurrently
and independently intergrading characters in individuals from inter-racial areas,
the nodal nature of connecting gradients and occurrence of numerous feebly
differentiated sub-racial colonies, due probably to their partial isolation in stream
systems and lakes—are all encountered in the Cuban population. And an analysis
of the situation in Cuba is even more difficult, because the terrapins there have a
discouraging tendency to lose the markings of the head and those of the carapace,
both very valuable as diagnostic characters.
The forms grouped here under P. d. decussata are probably far from being as
homogeneous a lot as the nomenclatural treatment would indicate. . However,
even though we have examined fairly extensive Cuban material, it seems evident
that further taxonomic subdivision of the population would be unwise, unless
based on collections including specimens from all the drainage systems of the
island.
The scripta group has often been characterized as having the upper jaw
notched at the symphisis. Actually this is by no means always true. Where the
character has been used the condition really referred to has usually been the
angular junction of the maxillary rami, as contrasted with the straight or slightly
arched symphisis in most of the forms of the floridana group; this character is of
considerable value, but should not be called a notch. In many specimens and
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 399
local populations of the scripta group, however, there really is a notch, the slope
of the rami changing abruptly just prior to their joining, to form an acute median
emargination. Individual and local variation with regard to the presence and
relative acuteness of this emargination is extensive and quite illogical throughout
the group. Often among the Cuban terrapins the differential distribution of this
character is very eccentric. Generally speaking, the notch is present in a majority
of eastern specimens (those from Camaguey and Oriente), and lacking in a
majority of the Cienfuegos series. In Pinar del Rio, however, the situation is -
anomalous, the notch being present and very acute in nearly all our specimens
from the Caribbean drainage, and absent in those from the Gulf slope.
There seems also to be some slight east-west differentiation in the number of
lines on the anterior surface of the front foot. While this character is of consider-
able taxonomic importance in other groups of Pseudemys, the above-mentioned
obsolescence of color pattern in mature Antillean individuals renders it less
usable. Where evident, these stripes are usually six or seven in Camaguey speci-
mens, three to five in the Cienfuegos series, and two or three in specimens from
the Gulf drainage of Pinar del Rio. It is of interest to note that here, again,
specimens from the Caribbean drainage of Pinar del Rio agree most closely with
those from Camaguey, usually having seven stripes.
Variation in the condition of the orbito-mandibular head stripe is even more
erratic in its distribution. In most forms in the genus this stripe is formed by the
confluence, behind the angle of the jaw, of one conspicuous stripe from the middle
of the lower edge of the orbit (orbital) and another from the lower surface of the
mandible (mandibular). In the Antillean forms this confluence does not always
take place, the two stripes often continuing separately along the side of the neck.
The stripes are quite often obsolete in adults. The following table illustrates the
condition insofar as it can be ascertained in our Cuban series.
Orbital and mandibular head stripes
Locality Joined Separate
Pinar del Rio (Gulf drainage) 1 5
Pinar del Rio (Caribbean drainage) 2 9
Cienfuegos 12 21
Western Camaguey 0 8
Rio Jobabo (Western Oriente) 0 6
Central Oriente 6 1
The conformation of the carapace in P. d. decussata is also subject to graded
variation along an east-west axis, as indicated in the foregoing description of the
form. Nearly perfectly oval in specimens from Pinar del Rio (Gulf drainage),
400 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
Cienfuegos and western Camaguey, the outline from the dorsal aspect becomes
distinctly oblong in the Central Oriente population. The most extensive reduc-
tion of color pattern occurs in specimens from Soledad and Camaguey.
In the following table average lengths and shell proportions of series from
six localities are compared.
Length Length Width Number of
Length Width Height Height Specimens
Locality
rofl g rou Q fof Q fof Q roe 9
Pinar del Rio, Caribbean slope | 174 | 226 | 1.41 | 1.42 | 2.73 | 2.60 | 1.92 | 1.83 7 5
Pinar del Rio, Gulf slope 180 | 189 | 1.34 | 1.82 | 2.65 | 2.57 | 1.96 | 1.94 6 1
Soledad, Cienfuegos 147 | 200 | 1.33 | 1.36 | 2.76 | 2.50 | 2.05 | 1.82 13 39
Camaguey 179 | 250 | 1.38 | 1.44 | 2.99 | 2.60 | 2.15 | 1.79 9 9
Rio Jobabo 165 | 165 | 1.87 | 1.37 | 3.25 | 3.09 | 2.35 | 2.26 4 3
Central Oriente 186 | 217 | 1.36 | 1.41 | 2.92 | 2.74 | 2.15 | 1.98 8 6
Habits. Regarding the habits of P. d. decussata, Gundlach writes as follows,
(1880) :
“The jicotea lays its eggs away from the water in a hole or pit which it
makes with the hind feet, and then covers the eggs with earth. The egg in my
collection measures 45 mm. by 25 mm.; it is white, with a soft shell like parch-
ment, and if left exposed in a dry place loses its fullness.
“T have observed that in the Cienaga de Zapata the jicoteas, after a hard
shower, leave the lake to eat the ripe fallen fruit of the Bagé (Anona palustris),
which often grows on the shores of the ponds. On one occasion only I have ob-
served, on the bank of a pond on the farm where I used to live, many jicoteas
of all sizes eating the mature fallen fruit of the Jobo (Spondias lutea). On that
occasion I captured two large specimens, those being all that my hands could
hold. I returned on other days and at other times and never again saw the ji-
coteas out of the pond. When the water dries up in the ponds or in the Cienaga
the jicoteas look for woods or scrub or tall grass and burrow beneath the leaf-
mold; but when the rains begin and fill the ponds the turtles return to them.
While they are beneath the leaf-mold they fast and are in a kind of lethargy. It
is well known that they can live a long time after being mutilated.”
A female specimen collected by the senior author in Baragua, Camaguey
Province, laid seven eggs in the laboratory at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology during September, 1932. The eggs are almost perfectly elliptical and
have the following dimensions: 38 x 25, 40 x 24, 38 x 24, 38 x 24, 39 x 24, 39 x 25,
39 x 25. The shell is creamy white and very minutely granular.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 401
Ponds and lakes are relatively rare in Cuba, and many of the former are
simply temporary catchbasins which persist for a while after heavy rains and then
disappear by subterranean drainage. As might be expected turtles are not found
in these localities. Such large and more or less permanent bodies of water as
Lakes Ariguanabo and Bacuranao support a surprisingly small chelonian popu-
lation. This is probably due to the fact that there has been persistent hunting
carried on for many years by the natives who, naturally, appreciate the delicious
flavor of these turtles when cooked. A rather large number of sluggish rivers in
Cuba, often with deep pools and which not infrequently run through areas of
sparse population, are the places where turtles are most often to be seen.
The situation at the Harvard Botanical Garden at Soledad is particularly
interesting. About thirty years ago a very small stream was dammed to form a
small lake for growing aquatic plants. Within a short time a large population of
turtles appeared in this pond to the immense detriment of the water lilies, es-
pecially. Then, after some twenty-five years, five other dams were built above
the original structure, forming two series of ponds along narrow and rather
shallow valleys, from the combined drainage of which the original pond received
its water supply. Now all of these ponds have a large population of turtles in
spite of intermittent efforts to reduce their numbers. The original stock must
have reached the garden area from the Arimao River which is connected by a
shallow, winding brook, the outlet of our system of garden ponds. This brook
is almost dried for a good half of the year and at other times is a raging torrent
after heavy rains, against which no Pseudemys could possibly swim.
No one has ever seen turtles travelling along this brook and it is hard to see
what might incline them to investigate its source. Nevertheless they arrived in
all these artificial ponds in a short time and in great numbers.
Although the senior author was for a long time disinclined to believe it,
there seems to be little question but that our garden turtles perhaps are vege-
tarian, pure and simple. They do not seem to feed extensively on mollusks, as
had at first been thought probable, and they certainly do not bother the hordes
of small fish which swarm almost miraculously as soon as a new pond is com-
pleted. The fact that crawfish and “langostinos’” (Macrobrachium) do not
flourish in our garden ponds, although they are occasionally seen, I suspect is
due to the fact that turtles would almost unquestionably also appreciate these
delicate and rather easily captured morsels.
The adult individuals, especially, are extremely shy and wary. Each group
has its favorite basking spot where its members come ashore and pile up in quite
402 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
characteristic fashion when the gardens are perfectly quiet. At other times they
take the sun sprawled out on the surface of the water, their hind legs fully ex-
tended and the head protruding a short distance above the surface. The ap-
proach of a visitor, even if at a very considerable distance, is the signal for a
complete disappearance of all turtles on land and afloat and they remain sub-
merged for a considerable time before coming up to peek about and see whether
the coast is clear.
Localities. (Cuba) Camaguey: Baragua, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34140-5; Rio
Chambras, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34388-99; “(Camaguey”, Mus. Comp. Zool.
36870-1. Oriente: Rio Cauto, Mus. Comp. Zool. 341386-9; Rio Sagrada, Tanamo,
Mus. Comp; Zool. 34357-65, 34367-9; Rio la Mora, Holguin, Mus. Comp. Zool. —
36867, Rio las Calabazas, 36868-9. Santa Clara: Soledad, Mus. Comp.; Zool.
18022-4, 18889-90, 29276—-9, 33395—409, 33432-6, 341816, 34147-7383, La Legua,
Mus. Comp. Zool. 34174-80. Pinar del Rio: Orozco, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34348;
Rio de la Plata, Mus. Comp Zool. 34851-2; Cabanas, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34346-7;
Rio San Felipe, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34350. Isle of Pines; Nueva Gerona, Mus.
Comp. Zool. 10985; Los Indios, Mus. Comp. Zool. 11735.
Although the type of Hmys decussata Gray (see pl. 1) is Saar locality
data, it seems to us quite evidently a representative of the terrapen series. More-
over, the proportions of the carapace indicate strongly that it came from Cuba—
very likely from Camaguey or Oriente. Although this conclusion is necessarily
somewhat conjectural we consider the grounds sufficient to warrant retaining
this widely used name for the Cuban form.
Of the numerous more or less different populations of Cuban terrapins two,
besides typical decussata, seem to possess characters warranting their recognition
as subspecies; these are described below.
PSEUDEMYS DECUSSATA ANGUSTA new subspecies
Type. Museum of Comparative Zoology 34,340; mature female, length 194,
width 134, height 75.
Paratypes. Museum of Comparative Zoology 3433445, 33984.
Type locality. ‘Taco River, Pinar del Rio, Cuba.
Diagnosis. Closely related to P. d. decussata, but distinguished as follows:
ground color of soft parts darker; ground color of carapace darker; carapace
narrow and elongate, nearly straight-sided (sometimes laterally constricted)
from dorsal aspect; upper Jaw usually acutely and deeply notched; top of head
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 403
dark brown; stripes on limbs more distinct; melanistic male with hind half of
carapace solid black and soft parts much blacker than in P. d. decussata, not
vermiculate.
Description. Dimensions: length/width, males 1.36-1.48, av. 1.41, females
1.34-1.47, av. 1.42; length/height, males 2.57—-2.85, av. 2.73, females 2.45-2.73,
av. 2.60; width/height, males 1.78-2.05, av. 1.92, females 1.78-1.85, av. 1.82.
Carapace: Elongate, narrow and slightly constricted laterally; sixth marginal
nearly or quite in the vertical plane; widest point usually at about posterior half
ees H i wi i
Tied Bi DI \\
4 } = Se
h “19 Mey, sy A / ps SH ne Hil
AWE) al: Uz Nd tS SPE ARN Re i
! He BIN Denes
x Hj
Fig. 2. Carapace of Pseudemys d. angusta, ad. 9, M.C.Z. no. 34340. 1% nat. size.
of eighth marginal; middle marginals rugose along their upper halves; costals
extremely rugose longitudinally and with grooves radiating from a point in the
posterio-dorsal corner of each plate; first vertebral usually embossed and usually
longer than wide, the second nearly flat, the third, fourth, and fifth slightly to
strongly keeled; vertebrals mostly longitudinally, radially, and transversely
rugose; nuchal with sides approximately parallel. Plastron: Light yellow, with
portions of a dusky figure usually present; the bars of this figure follow the sutures
anteriorly but extend longitudinally across the middle of the abdominal and
404 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
femoral plates. Bridge nearly covered with a series of broad longitudinal lines.
Intermarginal sutures bisecting concentric figures. Head: Ground color brownish
olive to nearly black, darkest above; sagittal and supratemporal stripes usually
present, but obsolescent, other stripes lacking on top of head; mandibular and
orbital stripes not confluent behind angle of jaw. Snout short and blunt, de-
pressed anteriorly; upper jaw usually with a deep, acute notch at symphysis.
Limbs: Ground color dark olive with usually distinct greenish-white stripes; five
to seven stripes usually present on anterior surface of fore foot, the stripe extend-
ing onto the second toe much the broadest; outer surface of hind foot not striped.
Melanistic male. Carapace: Similar in proportions and sculpturing to that
of the female, but less rugose, the marginals in old specimens being nearly smooth,
and in some individuals less constricted laterally. Melanism becomes first ap-
parent on the posterior surface, which is usually nearly solid black, the black
background being broken with a few irregular unpigmented patches. Apparently
the whole carapace darkens gradually until black and then small areas begin to
lose pigment, whereas in specimens of P. d. decussata from eastern Cuba the black
is deposited in isolated patches, and areas of the juvenile ground color often per-
sist among the black and pigmentless patches. Plastron: Light yellow, without
vermiculations. There are usually deposits of black pigment along the sutures,
these being particularly heavy on the intermarginals. Head and limbs: In speci-
mens exhibiting the completely developed melanistic condition the sides and top
.of the head are entirely black with the exception of the supratemporal and
(sometimes) the sagittal stripes, which thus stand out in marked contrast with
the background. Limbs black or speckled; toe-nails on the fore limbs black with
yellow tips.
The largest West Indian terrapin that we have seen (Mus. Comp. Zool.
33948) is a specimen of this race. This individual, a female which weighed in
life 2214 pounds emphasizes the characters of the race. The carapace is 388 mm.
jong, 246 mm. wide, and 16 mm. in height; it is very deeply and profusely
wrinkled, the radial furrows on the lower halves of the costals being especially
accentuated. Spurs from the fifth and seventh marginals extend upward between
the costals an inch or more above the dorsal ends of the other marginals. The
nuchal is extremely slender, and the first marginals heavy and knob-like. The
plastron, bridge, and lower marginals are unmarked.
Localities. Pinar del Rio: Santa Cruz River, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34341,
34343-5; San Cristobal River, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34334-6, 34342, 33948; Taco
River, Mus. Comp. Zool. 34337—40.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 405
PSEUDEMYS DECUSSATA PLANA new subspecies
Pseudemys decussata De Sola and Greenhall, 1932 (part), Copeia, no. 3, p. 132.
Type. Museum of Comparative Zoology 34,134; mature male, length 181
mm., width 132 mm., height 51 mm.
Paratypes. Museum of Comparative Zoology 34128-35.
Type locality. Rio Jobabo, Western Oriente, Cuba.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality.
Diagnosis. Closely related to P. d. decussata, but with the carapace broad
and greatly flattened (length/height ratios: males, 2.76-3.55, av. 3.25; females,
3.02-3.21, av. 3.09), and with the vertebral line elevated and nearly straight
from lateral view for most of the length of the carapace. In males and young
specimens the posterior end of the first vertebral is greatly elevated and the
vertebral line is straight from this point to the posterior end of the fourth
vertebral. Lateral margins of carapace straight from dorsal aspect for much of
the length of the shell.
Description. Dimensions: (length/height ratios given above) length/
width, males 1.31—-1.45, av. 1.37, females 1.31—-1.47, av. 1.387; females 1.31-1.47,
av. 1.37; width/height, males 2.11-2.59, av. 2.35, females 2.08-2.31, av. 2.26.
Carapace: Somewhat rugose longitudinally but relatively smooth, lacking irregu-
Fig. 3. Lateral aspect of Pseudemys d. plana, &*, M.C.Z. no. 34134. 1% nat. size.
lar protuberances and elevations; oblong from dorsal aspect, or very slightly
broadened posteriorly; sides straight (from dorsal view) from fourth to eighth
marginals; ground color olive to dark brown. Plastron: Nearly perfectly flat
(more so than that of decussata) from posterior edges of gulars to its hind margin.
Markings on plastron, bridge, and lower marginal sutures, when present, as in
decussata. Head and limbs: Snout very short, blunt, and rounded, depressed
even in males. Supratemporal stripe white or cream colored, in preserved speci-
406 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
mens, bordered with black; orbital and mandibular stripes not confluent behind
angle of jaw. Ground color olive. A few faint stripes discernible between orbital
and mandibular.
Mus. Comp. Zool. 34,128 is an incompletely melanistic male. The top of the
head, the anterior marginals, and the anterior half of the plastron are vermicu-
late; the markings on the anterior surface of the fore leg are vague and diffuse.
There is a smudge-like, semi-elliptical figure on the posterior half of the plastron,
the closed posterior end crossing the inter-anal suture.
Localities. Rio Jobabo, Western Oriente, Cuba, Mus. Comp. Zool.34128-85.
THE STEJNEGERI SUB-GROUP
Characters. Snout relatively deep, flattened at the tip, nearly straight from
nostrils to cutting edge in lateral aspect, somewhat constricted before the orbits;
in males snout often markedly extended, upturned, and with the anterior surface
sharply retreating. Anterior surface of maxillae usually concave beneath anterior
margin of orbits. Upper jaw usually with a bevelled median notch, from which
there extends upward a shallow groove which is usually a different color from the
background. Plastron not truncate anteriorly, the gulars usually somewhat pro-
duced and constricted at their anterio-lateral corners.
The plastral patterns of P. s. stejnegeri, P. decorata and P. malonei, as de-
scribed below, are quite different from that common to the forms of the terrapen
sub-group; that of P. s. vicina, however, is almost identical with the characteristic
terrapen figure, to this extent the two groups are linked.
PSEUDEMYS STEJNEGERI STEJNEGERI Schmidt
Clemmys decussata Peters, 1876, Mon. Acad. Wiss. Berlin, p. 705.—Gundlach, 1881,
Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., X, p. 307.—Pseudemys decussata Grant and De Sola,
1934, Copeia, no. 2, p. 75. :
Emys rugosa Gundlach, 1881, Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., X, p. 307.—Stahl, 1882,
Fauna Puerto Rico, p. 68.—Garman, 1887 (part), Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. XXIV,
p. 286.
Pseudemys palustris Stejneger, 1904, Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1902, p. 710, fig. 179-186.—
Fowler, 1918, Papers Dept. Marine Biol., Carnegie Inst., XII, p. 15.
Pseudemys stejnegert Schmidt, 1928, Sci. Surv. P. R. and Virg: I., Amer. Mus., X, 1,
p. 147, fig. 51.
Type. United States National Museum 25642, mature female.
Type locality. San Juan, Porto Rico.
L783
LIBRARY EA
ERRATA
Page 407. Caption of Fig. 4 should read:
Plastrons of Pseudemys s. stejnegert and
Pseudemys d. decussata; young specimens, M.
C. Z. nos. 37296 and 34176. x 5/7.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 407
Distribution. Porto Rico and probably Vieques Island (Grant 1932).
Diagnosis. Distinguished from decorata by the nature of the plastral pattern
and from malonei by the proportions of the carapace and the color of head and
limbs.
Description. Body proportions: Length/width, male (our series includes
only one fully mature male) 1.17, female 1.18—-1.37, av. 1.30; length-height, male
2.71, female 2.49-2.70, av. 2.56; width-height, male 2.34, female 1.82—2.27, 1.97;
average length, females 236. Carapace: Moderately elongate; not markedly
rugose; widest point well behind middle of long axis, posterior marginals flaring;
first vertebral but slightly domed, second nearly flat, third, fourth and fifth
keeled; ground color reddish brown in all our specimens, unmarked in adults.
Fig. 4. Variation in plastrons of Pseudemys s. stejnegeri; young specimens, M.C.Z. nos. 37296 and 34176.
x 5/7.
Plastron: Constricted at anterior ends of humero-gular sutures, with the gulars
anteriorly extended and concave-upward, forming a projecting shelf beneath the
neck. Pattern usually present anteriorly in adults, obsolescent or lacking between
the bridges, but when present following the sutures closely; markings on gulars
usually extending over onto the upper surfaces of the plates. Head and limbs:
Ground color brown or brownish-olive; supratemporal stripe, when discernible,
brownish in preserved specimens, other stripes yellow; orbital usually not con-
fluent with mandibular behind angle of jaw; several inconspicuous stripes usually
present between orbital and supratemporal. Dorsal surface of hind toes not
striped; distal part of tail brown dorsally, not striped.
Habits. Of the habits of stejnegeri, Schmidt writes, ‘“‘Nothing is known of the
habits of this species except for the observations of Danforth (1925), which I
quote: ‘By April they were laying eggs. For that purpose they come out on land
at night, and the natives choose that time to hunt them with the aid of lights.
They are sold for food. These turtles are rarely seen sunning themselves.’ ”’ To
408 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
this Grant and De Sola (1934) add: ‘‘Danforth (1925) mentions that the Puerto
Rican form is seldom seen sunning itself, and on a trip to the Cartegena lagoon,
Danforth and the senior author were surprised to see a terrapin which had
climbed into a dead bush at the shore. Many others were seen basking on masses
of vegetation.”
We have seen one specimen showing advanced melanism.
Specimens examined. Puerto Rico: Guanica Lagoon, Mus. Comp. Zool.
37291—4; Rio Piedras, Mus. Comp. Zool. 37295-8; Porto Rico, 5833-4.
The characters used by Schmidt in his diagnosis of this form were small size
and the failure of the axial plate to come in contact with the fifth marginal.
Grant and De Sola object to this diagnosis and mention a note in Copeia (1931)
in which Grant records a specimen 275 mm. in length. We have a specimen col-
lected by Major Grant which is 270 mm. long, and are inclined to agree with
these writers in their criticism of Schmidt’s diagnosis.
The following table shows the variation which we have found in the position
of the axial in relation to the fifth marginal:
Percentage in
Locality Percentage in Percentage contact on one
contact separate side, separate
on other
Haiti (decorata) 100 a os
Hispaniola (vicina) 50 Ae 50
Puerto Rico 60 20 20
Great Inagua 91 ee 9
Cat Island 50 21 29
Jamaica 28 4b 28
Cuba, Rio Jobabo 29 57 14
Cuba, southern Pinar del Rio UU 8 15
Cuba, except in above localities 77 14 9
PSEUDEMYS STEJNEGERI VICINA new subspecies
Emys decussata Duméril and Bibron, 1835, Erpet. Gen., II, p. 279.—Duméril, 1851
(part), Cat. Méth. Rept. Mus. Paris, I, p. 11.—Reinhardt and Luetken, 1862, Vid.
Meddel. Naturh. Foren., Copenhagen, 1863, p. 290; author’s separate, p. 138.—
Clemmys decussata Strauch, 1862 (part), Chelon. Studien, p. 127; 1890, Mem. Acad.
Sci. St. Petersb., (7) XX XVIII, 2, p. 78.
Chrysemys scripta, var. rugosa Boulenger, 1889 (part), Cat. Chel. Brit. Mus., p. 79.
Pseudemys palustris Schmidt, 1921, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. XLIV, p. 20.
Type. Field Museum of Natural History 5977, mature female; length 238
mm., width 168 mm., height 98 mm.
Paratypes. Field Museum 5976, 5978; Mus. Comp. Zool. 436514.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 409
Type locality. Sanchez, San Domingo.
Distribution. Hispaniola.
Diagnosis. Very closely related to P. s. stejnegeri, from which it is dis-
tinguished by the broad head (width of head at anterior edge of tympanum con-
tained in body length 7.0-7.2 times in vicina, 7.8-8.0 times in stejnegeri) and deep
snout (depth of snout, including mandible, at anterior edge of orbit contained in
body length 10.3-10.6 times in vicina, 12.0-14.4 times in stejnegeri), and by the
plastral pattern. Distinguished from decorata by the absence of markings on the
carapace and by the nature of the plastral pattern.
Description. Body proportions: Length-width, males 1.27-1.32, av. 1.29,
females 1.40-1.47, av. 1.43; length/height, males 2.58-2.68, av. 2.63, females
2.42-2.58, av. 2.46; width/length, males, 1.10-1.96, av. 1.53, females 1.69-1.81,
av. 1.73. Carapace: Greatest width usually posterior to middle of long axis, the
posterior marginals flaring in adult females. Costals usually profusely and irreg-
ularly wrinkled, the rugosities generally longitudinal, but broken and exten-
sively confluent; radial wrinkles slight or lacking. Second vertebral usually flat
and keel-less in adults; marginals not longitudinally rugose. Ground color tan
to nearly black; pattern not evident, even in young individuals. Plastron: No
boss at posterior ends of gulars; gulars usually constricted at antero-lateral
corners, and produced anteriorly. Pattern similar to that of decussata, usually
following the sutures, at least anteriorly; pattern obsolescent or lacking in adults.
Head and limbs: Snout of mature female short and deep, head very large. Ground
color slate-gray to olive, stripes cream-color to white; supratemporal brown in
preserved specimens; orbital and mandibular not confluent in our specimens.
Stripes to second and fourth toes usually broad and distinct—others on anterior
surface of fore limb obsolescent or lacking.
Neither of the two adult males in our series is melanistic.
Localities. San Domingo: Puerto Plata, Mus. Comp. Zool. 43651-4;
Sanchez, Field Museum 5976-8. Haiti: Torbec, U. 8. N. M. 80932-3; Cayes,
U.S. N. M. 82565; “Haiti”, Mus. Comp. Zool. 1891-2a,b,c.
PSEUDEMYS DECORATA new species
Type. Museum of Comparative Zoology 36862; mature male, length 220
mm., width 148 mm., height 87 mm.
Paratypes. United States National Museum 59093-6, 81091; Museum of
Comparative Zoology 36851-60, 36861-6.
Type locality. Fond Parisien, Haiti.
410 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
Distribution. Eastern Haiti; Fond Parisien, Thomazeau and Tle & Vache.
Diagnosis. Readily distinguished by the plastral pattern, which consists of
small, circular or elliptical markings scattered about over the plastron; snout of
adult relatively sharp and nearly conical, that of mature male upturned and very
long. Supratemporal stripe white in preserved specimens. Markings on carapace,
at least on lower marginals, distinct in most specimens.
Description. Body proportions: Length/width, 1.27-1.48, av. 1.35, female
1.25-1.46, av. 1.34; length/height, male 2.52-2.82, av. 2.65, female 2.36-2.72,
av. 2.53; width/length, male 1.70-2.15, av. 1.96, female 1.67—2.17, av. 1.88.
Carapace: Elliptical and rather elongate; relatively smooth, with the radial
rugosities predominating in most specimens; marginals scarcely wrinkled; first
vertebral slightly domed, second flat or only slightly keeled, third, fourth and
fifth keeled. Posterior marginals not strikingly serrate. Color light grayish
brown to chestnut; concentric dusky figures usually evident on the intermarginal
sutures. Plastron: Light yellow or cream in color with a variable number of
irregular or circular spots which are often concentric; two or more of these spots
on bridge nearly always concentric; blotches present at the sutures of the lower
marginals. Head and Limbs: Jaws not serrate; maxillae meeting at a vertical
angle, but not notched at symphisis; median ridge of alveolar surface very low;
snout nearly conical in adult, in the male very long and sharp, sloping upward
from a point between the eyes. Head stripes conspicuous except on top of head,
and black-bordered; supratemporal white or greenish white in preserved speci-
mens; orbital and mandibular confluent beneath the tympanum. Ground color
brown or grayish-brown. Stripes on limbs conspicuous and black-bordered, usually
four on anterior surface of fore foot. Distal part of tail white dorsally, the lateral
caudal stripes converging.
Melanism. Schmidt (1928) believes that the phenomenon of melanism in
old males does not occur in the Hispaniolan form. In the two large male speci-
mens of decorata in our series melanism is not marked. One of these individuals
(Mus. Comp. Zool. 36863) has heavy deposits of black pigment in the plastral
and lower marginal spots and scattered black dots on the carapace, and both it
and Mus. Comp. Zool. 36862 show some breaking up and scattering of pigment
in the borders of the head stripes, but neither approaches the extreme condition
exhibited by other West Indian forms.
Specimens examined. Haiti: Thomazeau, Mus. Comp. Zool. 36851-60,
U. 8. N. M. 59093-6; Fond Parisien, Mus. Comp. Zool. 36861-6, U. 8. N. M.
63096; Ile & Vache, U. 8. N. M. 81091.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 411
Schmidt, 1. c., believed that adequate material might demonstrate the oceur-
rence of two distinct terrapins in Hispaniola. In studying our material we were
at first considerably confused by the peculiar distribution exhibited by the two
forms that we have recognized on the island. At present, however, there seems
little doubt that the taxonomic arrangement here proposed for them (trinominal
designation for the widely distributed and incompletely differentiated P. s.
vicina, and specific status for the distinct, markedly different, and locally dis-
tributed P. decorata) illustrates the actual situation as clearly as any.
PSEUDEMYS MALONEI Barbour and Carr
Pseudemys malonei Barbour and Carr, 1938, Proc. New England Zool. Club, XVII, p. 76.
Type. Museum of Comparative Zoology 44338, female; length 238 mm.,
height 103 mm., width 176 mm.
Paratypes. Museum of Comparative Zoology 44339-48.
Type locality. Small ponds near Northwest Point, Great Inagua Island,
Ba weel.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality.
Description. Carapace: Very high in adults, its sides steeply sloping and
only very slightly arched, broadly elliptical from dorsal aspect, its greatest width
Fig. 5. Lateral aspect of Pseudemys malonei, adult, M.C.Z. no. 44388. About )4 nat. size.
near the middle (at about the sixth marginal suture) ; relatively smooth, lacking
deep continuous rugosities; ground color very dark gray, in some specimens
nearly black; markings lacking in mature specimens. Plastron: Pattern occa-
sionally entirely lacking, but when present, similar to that of stejnegeri; gulars
less constricted at their anterio-lateral corners than in stejnegeri. Head and limbs:
412 MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
Upper jaw with a deep notch at the symphysis, from which there extends dor-
sally a conspicuous brownish groove. Stripes white or cream, supratemporal
brown or not evident in preserved specimens; orbital and mandibular not con-
fluent in any of our specimens; the two conspicuous stripes on anterior surface
of fore leg nearly the same breadth; distal part of tail dark above, the lateral
caudal stripes not converging. Ground color slate gray.
Melanism. ‘Mus. Comp. Zool. 44343 is an excellent example of the ex-
treme melanistic or ‘rugosa’ condition seen in most old males of the group. The
lamellae of the posterior half of the carapace are opaque and heavily pigmented
with black, while those covering the anterior portion are clear and translucent,
with pigment only along the sutures. The plastron is yellow with black sutural
borders, and the head and leg stripes have been replaced by gray and white
mottling.”
Habits. We have not been able to secure any information concerning the
habits of this terrapin.
Specimens examined. Great Inagua, B. W. I., Mus. Comp. Zool. 44843,
holotype, Mus. Comp. Zool. 44339 male allotype, and Mus. Comp. Zool. 44340-2,
44344-8, paratypes.
1From Barbour and Carr (1938), p. 76.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 413
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agassiz, L.
1857. Contribution to the natural history of the United States of America. Little, Brown
and Co., Boston, Vols. 1-4.
Barrer, H.
1905. Les chéloniens du Musée d’Histoire Naturelle d’Elbeuf. Bull. Soc. Etude. Sci. Nat.
et Mus. Hist. Nat. Elbeuf, 23, 69-102, 2 pls.
Barsour, T.
1910. Notes on the herpetology of Jamaica. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 52:15, 271-301,
2 pls.
1914. A contribution to the zodgeography of the West Indies, with especial reference to
amphibians and reptiles. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., 44, 209-259, 1 pl., 1 text fig.
1934. Observations on Antillean tortoises and terrapins. Copeia, no. 3, 111-113.
1935. A new Pseudemys from Cat Island, Bahamas. Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist.,
8, 205-206.
1937. Third list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 82:2,
77-166.
Barsour, T. and A. F. Carr
1938. Another Bahamian fresh-water tortoise. Proc. New England Zool. Club, 17, 75-76.
Barsour, T. and C. T. RAaMSDEN
1919. The herpetology of Cuba. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., 47:2, 72-2138, 15 pls.
Barsour, T. and B. SHREVE
1935. Concerning some Bahamian reptiles, with notes on the fauna. Proc. Boston Soc.
Nat. Hist., 40:5, 347-366.
Baur, G.
1893. Two new species of North American Testudinata. Amer. Nat., 27, 675-677.
BE tt, T.
1831. A monograph of the Testudinata. London, i-xxiv, 1-81, 40 pls.
BoNNATERRE, L’A.
1789. Tabl. Encycl. Méth. Nat., iii-xxvili, 1-70, 26 pls.
BouLEnGeER, G. A.
1889. Catalogue of the chelonians, etc. of the British Museum, New Edition, ili-x,
1-311, 6 pls. 73 figs.
Browne, P.
1756. The civil and natural history of Jamaica. Part 2, p. 465.
Carr, A. F.
1938. Notes on the Pseudemys scripta complex. Herpetologica, 1, 131-135, 1 pl.
1938a. A new subspecies of Pseudemys floridana, with notes on the floridana complex.
Copeia, no. 3, 105-109.
Cocteau, J. T. and G. Brnron
1838. (in) Sagra’s Hist. Phys. Pol. Nat. Cuba, Paris, i-xviii, 1-239, and Atlas, 30 pls.
414 ; MEMOIR: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
DANFORTH, S. T.
1925. Porto Rican herpetological notes. Copeia, no. 147, 79.
De Sona, R. and A. M. GREENHALL
1932. Two species of terrapin in Cuba: the Antillean Terrapin, Pseudemys rugosa, and
the Cuban Terrapin, Pseudemys decussata. Copeia, no. 3, 129-133, 4 figs.
DumeriL, A. M. C.
1851. Cat. Meth. Rept. Mus. Paris, 1, p. 11.
1861. Catalogue des poissons, etc. Arch. Mus. d’Hist. Nat. Paris, 10, 435-445.
Duménit, A. M. C. and G. Brpron
1834-1854. Erpétologie générale, Vols. 1-9 and Atlas.
Fow ter, H. W.
1918. Some amphibians and reptiles from Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Papers
Dept. Marine Biol. Carn. Inst. Wash., 12, 1-15, 1 pl., 6 text figs.
GARMAN, S.
1887. On West Indian reptiles in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge,
Mass. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., 24, 278-286.
GMELIN, J. F. 2
1789. Systema Naturae, ed. 13, Vol. 1.
Goss, P. H.
1851. A naturalist’s sojourn in Jamaica. Longman, etc., London, i-xxiv, 1-508.
GRANT, C.
1931. Notes on Pseudemys stejnegert. Copeia, no. 3, 142.
1932. The herpetology of Vieques Island. Journ. Dept. Agri. P. R., 16:1, 39.
Grant, C. and C. R. DE Sona
1934. Antillean tortcises and terrapins: distribution, status and habits of Testudo and
Pseudemys. Copeia, no. 2, 73-79.
Gray, J. E.
1831. Synopsis reptilium. Treuttel, Wurz and Co., London, i-viil, 1-85, 11 pls.
1844. Catalogue of the tortoises, etc. of the British Museum, i-viii, 1-80.
1855. Catalogue of the shield reptiles in the collection of the British Museum, part 1,
1-79, 42 pls.
1870. Supplement to Cat. Shield Rept. Brit. Mus., Part 1, i-ix, 1-120, 40 figs.
1873. Hand list of the specimens of shield reptiles in the British Museum. London, 1-124.
GRIFFITH, E.
1831. (in) Cuvier’s animal kingdom. 9, Reptilia, 1-481, 55 pls.
GuUNDLACH, J.
April, 1867. Revista y catalogo de los reptiles Cubanos. (in) Poey’s Repert. Fisico-nat.
de Cuba, 2:5, 104.
1875. Catalogo de los reptiles Cubanos. Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., 4, 347-368.
1880. Contribucion a la erpetologia Cubana. G. Montiel y Ca. Habana, 1-98.
1881. Apuntos para la fauna Puerto-riquena. Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. Nat., 10, 305-317.
BARBOUR AND CARR: ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS 415
Hopkinson, J.
1907. Dates of publication of the separate parts of Gmelin’s Edition (13th) of the
‘Systema Naturae’ of Linnaeus. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 69, 1035-1037.
Lac&prEpE, B. G. E.
1788. Histoire naturelle des quadrupédes ovipares et des serpens. 2, Synopsis Methodica,
443-462.
Peters, W.
1876. Uber eine von Hrn. Viceconsul L. Krug und Dr. J. Gundlach auf der Insel Puer-
torico gemachte Sammlung, etc. Monatsber. Acad. Wiss. Berlin, 703-714, 1 pl.
REINHARDT, J. and C. F. LuETKEN
1862. Beitrage til det vestindiske Origes og navnligen til de dansk-vestindiske Oers
Herpetologie. Vidensk. Meddel. Naturh. Foren., Copenhagen, 153-291.
Scumipt, K. P. ;
1921. Notes on the herpetology of Santo Domingo. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 44:2,
7-20, 12 figs.
1928. Amphibians and land reptiles of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. N. Y. Acad.
Sci., 10:1, 1-160, 4 pls. 52 figs.
ScHoEprr, J. D.
1792. Historia testudinium, 1-136, 32 pls.
SHaw, G.
1802. General zoology, Amphibia. 3:1, 1-308, 86 pls.
SIEBENROCK, F.
1909. Synopsis der rezenten Schildkréten. Zool. Jarb., 10:3, 427-618.
SowErsy, J. and E. Lear
1872. Tortoises, terrapins and turtles. London, 1-16, 60 pls.
STAHL, A.
1882. Fauna de Puerto-Rico, p. 68.
STEJNEGER, L. ;
1904. The herpetology of Porto Rico. Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1902, 549-724, 1 pl.,
196 text figs.
Straucu, A.
1862. Chelonologische studien. Mem. Acad. Sci. St. Pete., 5:7, 1-196, 1 pl.
1865. Die Vertheilung der Schildkréten uber den Erdball. Mem. Acad. Sci. St. Pete.,
3:13, 1-207.
1890. Bemerkungen uber die Schildkrétensammlung. Mem. Acad. Sci. St. Pete. 38:2,
1-127, 4 pls.
VILARO, J.
April and May, 1867. Notas de Juan Vilaré. (in) Poey’s Repert. Fisico-nat. de Cuba,
2:5 and 6, 119-122.
Oct. 1867. Notas sobre las Jicoteas Cubanas. Ibid., 2:9, 204.
Noy. 1867. Noticias Zoologicas. Ibid., 2:10, 228.
fe maa
Pet eal
Lauer:
Hs
ay
i‘
if
i
hee
ane
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES
\
Plate 1 }
A
Upper and lower left. Type of Emys decussata Gray in British Museum.
Upper and lower right. Type of Testudo rugosa Shaw in the Royal College of Surgeons. —
No. 990.
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 1
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
PLATE 2
Plate 2. E. N. Fisher del.
Upper fig. 1. Plastron of Pseudemys decorata Barbour and Carr. Haiti. Mus. Comp. Zool.
No. 35863. Ad. o.
Lower fig. 2, 3 Pseudemys stejnegert steynegert Schmidt. Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Mus.
Comp. Zool. No. 37295. Young <.
ve
i
.
i
i lt
.
i
1
!
1 i
Pa
i
{
we
i
i
i
i
i
i}
na
i
i
i
i
i
i
ii
i
i
1 ‘le
ip
aa ?
m
i
Li ; r
eran
i i
ul i
ij
5
i
o f ii ul ii it if
i vue i i i
i i it :
f I
nm a
i won
¥ 1 . , Mir
t a. i
i "Shi : i '
1 iy i
it 1
i fj 1) it
i iy
i 1 io t
ii
i y,, f ah
i i 1
it enn '
i ere) ei
yt ’ il
fl 7
i ith
i ee en
a
it
i i
i ji
; \ u f :
, 1
Alte i
iy 7 :
Dit al
ay ve
iH \
ak
~ =
¢
\
i
e
PLATE 2
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS.
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
af late lige
; oy ei
ois
PS aN
ey
PLATE 3
\
\
. = > iy
Plate 3. Miss J. Sawyer del. es
Dorsal and ventral view of Pseudemys felis, Cat Isl., Bahamas. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 38385.
Ad. @. :
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL. BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 3
PLATE 4
Plate 4 Miss J. Sawyer del.
Dorsal and ventral view of Pseudemys terrapen (Lacépéde), Jamaica, near Kingston. Mus.
Comp. Zool. No. 39704. Young °.
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL. BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 4
_ PLATE 5
va
Plate5 Miss J.Sawyerdel
Dorsal and ventral view of Pseudemys decussata plana, Rio Jobabo, Cuba. Mus.
No. 34128. Ad. 7. sai ae ne
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 5
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
a
,
™
ee
#
ae
nae
ah
PLATE 6
S
Plate 6 Miss J. Sawyer del.
Dorsal and ventral view of Pecideras decussata decussata, Rio Cauto, Cuba, Mus.
Zool. No. 34136. Melanistic co’.
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL. BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 6
PLATE 7
Plate 7 E. N. Fisher del.
—
. Head of Pseudemys felis, Cat Island. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 38385. Ad. Q.
2. Head of Pseudemys terrapen, near Kingston, Jamaica. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 39704.
Young @.
3. Head of Pseudemys decorata, Fond Parisien, Haiti. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 36863. Ad. co’.
4. Head of Pseudemys stejnegeri stejnegeri, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Mus. Comp. Zool.
No. 37295. Young co’.
5. Head of Pseudemys decussata decussata, melanistic, old co’, Rio Cauto, Cuba. Mus. Comp.
Zool. No. 34136.
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 7
Plate 8 E.N. Fisher del.
. Head of Pseudemys decussata plana. Rio Jobabo, Cuba. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 34133.
. Head of Pseudemys decussata decussata. Soledad, Cuba.
Young @.
. Head of Pseudemys decussata plana. Rio Jobabo, Cuba.
Ad. o.
. Foot of Pseudemys decussata decussata, Rio Cauto, Cuba.
Melanistic o’.
. Head of Pseudemys decussata decussata, Rio Cauto, Cuba.
Melanistic o.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
. Foot of Pseudemys decussata decussata, Soledad, Cuba. Mus. Comp. Zool.
Young @.
. Head of Pseudemys decussata decussata, Rio Cauto, Cuba.
Melanistic o’.
. Foot of Pseudemys decussata plana.
Young @.
Rio Jobabo, Cuba.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
Mus. Comp. Zool.
No.
No.
34147.
34128.
. 34136.
. 84136.
. 34147.
. 34137.
. 34132.
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 8
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
PLATE 9
Plate 9 E.N. Fisher del.
1. Under surface of Pseudemys decussata decussata. Soledad, Santa Clara, Cuba. Mus. Comp.
Zool. No. 34177. Young.
2. Upper view of Pseudemys decussata decussata. Soledad, Santa Clara, Cuba. Mus. Comp.
Zool. No. 34177. Young.
3. Under surface of Pseudemys decorata. Thomazeau, Haiti. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 36855.
Young.
4. Upper view of Pseudemys decorata. Thomazeau, Haiti. Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 36855.
Young.
BARBOUR AND CARR. ANTILLEAN TERRAPINS. PLATE 9
MEM. MUS. COMP. ZOOL.
PUBLICATIONS
OF THE
MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
AT HARVARD COLLEGE.
There have been published of the BULLETIN Vols. I to LXX XV;
of the Memotrs, Vols. I to LY.
A price list of the publications of the Museum will be sent on appli-
cation to the Director of the Museum of Comparative Zodlogy, Cambridge,
Mass.
piers
ses
is
sean
ae
ce
Np Rp ae an
aie
nt
Met
it
“ti
ee
ae
HESEE
es
es
pets
tie SR
are
See
te
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11